Automatic chemical air-lift.



APPLIOATION FILED AUG.11, 1910.

Patented Dec.27, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 n:s NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHlNamN, n. c.

AUGUST LONG, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC CHEMICAL AIR-LIFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

AppIication filed. August 11, 1910. Serial No. 576,732.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST LONG, citizen of the United States, residing at Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Chemical Air- Lifts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for raising liquid by compressed air.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for lifting liquid chemicals or other liquid by compressed air, and to furnish novel and peculiar means for automatically controlling air pressure on the liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus specially constructed and arranged for lifting liquid chemicals and comprises automatic means for evacuating and charging a reservoir under compressed air pressure, and means for automatically controlling such air pressure.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application :Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus involving the invention, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section partly broken away, taken on the line a-az Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section 011 the line g g Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the air controlling drop-valve. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modification, partly broken away. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation partly broken away showing a further modification.

The same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A receiving chamber 1 composed of lead for liquid chemicals, is connected with a storage tank 2, by means of a leadpipe 3 having a nozzle 4, the flange of which is bolted to a like flange of the chemical receiver 1, by means of a pair of metal rings 5, and bolts 6, a check valve comprising a valve keeper having its disk 7, secured to and between the said flanges, and provided with valve seats for loose ball-valves 8, which are raised by the flow of liquid from the storage tank into the receiver 1. A triangular lead bracket 9, projects from the center of the disk 7 for separating the balls 8, and the bracket has a lead plate or top 10, for limiting the vertical movement of the balls. Such top being of less diameter than the receiver so as to leave a passage therebetween for the flow of the liquid to and through a lead pipe 11, having an annular flange 12 for bolting it to a coupling 13 projecting from the cover 14, of a cast iron reservoir 15. The pipe 11 extends from the cover 14 into the reservoir where it terminates in an open beveled end at the bottom of the reservoir for discharging the liquid thereinto. The cover 14 is sealed to the reservoir by means of a lead-pipe gasket 16 and bolts 17 and the cover is provided with a central coupling 18, for a pipe casing 19, composed of lead and having an annular flange 20 secured to the coupling 18 by means of a metal ring 21, and bolts 22. The bottom of this casing has one end of a pipe 23 formed or molded therein and opening into the bottom of the reservoir for conveying the liquid therefrom; this pipe terminates at the top in a flaring end and in the same horizontal plate with a vent-hole or aperture 24, in the casing 19, adjacent the cover or top of the reservoir so as to prevent the reservoir becoming entirely filled with liquid, and so as to provide a space between the surface of the liquid contained in the reservoir and the top thereof.

The casing 19, is provided with a lead air pipe 25, having a funnel shaped mouth 26, supporting a cylinder 27, and such cylinder and mouth have formed therebetween and integral with them a disk 28, having a central opening 29, and said parts are bolted together by a pair of metal rings 30 and bolts 31. The top of the cylinder 27, has a pipe stem 32, to which is attached an air supply pipe 33, and such stem is provided with a packing gland 34, for a stiff wire or rod 35, which is operated therein and through the said stem into the cylinder. Air from the pipe 33 to the casing 19, is governed by a valve 36, composed of a piece of lead pipe having a conical flange 37, for engaging the disk 28, to close the disk opening 29. The top end of the valve 36 is closed and its open end works through the said opening 29. The valve 36 has an air vent 38 between its top and its flange 37 for the passage of air through the valve while the said opening 29 is closed.

The means for adjusting and controlling the movement of the valve 36, comprises a lever 39, fulcrumed at 40, to a standard 41, secured to and supported by the top of the cylinder 27 one end of this lever has a weight 42, and the other end carries one end. of the rod 35, which is screwthreaded and provided with an adjusting nut 43; the other end of the rod 35 being attached to the top of the valve 36. The downward movement of the weight is controlled by a thumb-screw 44, working through one end of an angle arm 45, having its other end secured to and supported by the top of the cylinder 27. The pipes 3 and 33 are pro vided with hand valves 3*, and 33 respectively, for opening and closing such pipes.

The pipe or casing 19, has a lead pipe 1 seamed or molded thereto at its upper portion, and said pipe 1 extends to near the bottom of the casing 19 where it terminates in an open end. From the top end of the pipe 1, a liquid discharge pipe 2 projects outwardly, and inwardly to near the flaring end of the pipe 23, and the pipe 2*, while separated from the pipe 23, is of the same diameter as the pipe 23, and forms a discharge for liquid from the pipe 23. It is obvious that the outwardly projecting end of the pipe 2 may be extended or coupled to a pipe (not shown) for carrying the liquid to such place or distance as desired.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :ln starting the apparatus preparatory to its liquid lifting operation, the valve 36, being closed, air from the pipe 33 is permitted to pass from the cylinder 27 through the vent 38 of said valve into the pipe or casing 19, then into the pipe 2 by way of the casing 19, and pipe 1; during the flow of liquid by its own gravity from the storage tank through the check valve to the reservoir the latter will fill to the height of the vent 24, and as the reservoir fills with liquid by its own gravity, air in the reservoir escapes through the vent 24, to the pipe 2 by way of the casing 19 and pipe l and when the liquid reaches the vent 24, it follows through the vent 24 into the pipe or casing 19 and pipe 1 to the plane of said vent, thus filling these pipes and the discharge pipe with liquid to the level of the liquid surface contained in the storage tank, to the exclusion of air pressure in the reservoir; whereupon the back pressure of air together with the balance weight will lift the valve 36, and keep it open for the passage of air to the caslng 19, and the air pressure upon the liquid contained in the casing 19 will force the liquid from the reservoir through the pipe 23, into the discharge pipe 2 for lifting the liquid as desired. While the valve 36 is kept open, as above stated, the operation of lifting the, liquid through the apparatus will continue, but when it is desired to empty the reservoir, the supply of liquid thereto from the storage tank is cut oil, and the apparatus will continue its lifting of the liquid, and the liquid in the reservoir is exhausted the velocity and pressure of air increases, so that simultaneously with all the liquid in the reservoir being exhausted or discharged, the air pressure from the pipe 33 on the valve 36, will overcome the pull of the weight on the valve and automatically close it, except for its vent 38, which permits just enough air to escape therethrough into the apparatus for automatically starting the lifting operation again.

It is obvious that in the operation of the apparatus it is self-starting and self-stopping, and that the liquid will fill the reservoir and the pipes up to the vent 24, before the liftin operation starts, that such lifting operation will continue as long as there is any liquid contained in the reservoir under air pressure, and that such operation will be automatically stopped by the automatic operation of the valve 36.

The lift pressure on the liquid is regulated by'adjusting the thumb-screw, so as to vary the air space or passage between the valve 36, and its seat, and said valve may also be adjusted and the movement of the weight lever varied by adjusting the nut on the valve stem.

The same operation and results as hereinbefore described are attainable in and by the modifications now to be described. Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 5, the reservoir 46 has an enlarged central coupling 47, in its cap or cover 48, for holding a liquid intake pipe 49, which extends to the bottom of the reservoir and has a series of liquid apertures 50 adjacent its bottom end, a series of vent holes 51 therein near the in ner face of the said cap or cover, and a pipe 52, for connecting the pipe 49 with the check valve receiver, hereinbefore referred to. This pipe 49 is formed on a pipe 53 at its top and the pipe 53 terminates at the bottom in a conical closed end, through which the open end of a liquid discharge pipe 54 projects. The pipe 53 has a series of vent holes 55 above the vents 51, and the top of this pipe has an air pipe 56, which may be connected to the air-controlling valve hereinbefore referred to. This arrangement provides for the assembling of all the pipes of the reservoir in one and the same cluster, necessitating only one opening and coupling in the reservoir cover; and the additional vent holes will increase the lifting speed of the apparatus by permitting a quicker injection and ejection of air therethrough.

Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 6, a portion of the central pipes within the reservoir 15 (Fig. 1) is employed to illustrate this modification, wherein a liquid pipe 57, leading from a liquid reservoir is made in the same piece with a pipe 58 which is inclosed by the casing or outer pipe 59, and a series of apertures 60, are made through the mouth of the pipe 57, so that any liquid dripping back from the pipe 58, will fall through said apertures and not into the pipe 57.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a liquid lifting apparatus, the combination of a liquid reservoir, a plurality of telescoping pipes including an outer pipe, a pair of innermost pipes and an intermediate pipe, such pipes forming air and liquid channels therein and therebetween and projecting from and into the reservoir, said outer pipe being closed at its top and bot tom and having a vent leading thereinto from the reservoir adjacent the top of the latter, one of the innermost pipes having an open end extending through and sealed to said closed bottom, the other innermost pipe being sealed to and projecting through the closed top of the intermediate pipe which has an open bottom, and means for supplying the apparatus with compressed air.

2. In a liquid lifting apparatus, the combination, with a reservoir into which liquid is injected and ejected therefrom, a liquid check valve in communication with source of liquid supply and with the reservoir, and a valve for automatically feeding air to the reservoir in different amounts for in jecting and ejecting the liquid, a two-part liquid discharge pipe from the reservoir, a casing having closed ends and depending into the cylinder and having the automatic valve connected thereto and having the lower part of the discharge pipe sealed with and opening through the bottom thereof, a vent in the casing adjacent the top of the reservoir and opposite the intersection of the said two-part pipe, and a pipe depending from the top of the casing between the latter and the two-part pipe and terminating in an open end adjacent the lower end of the casing and having the upper part of the two-part pipe sealed to and projecting therefrom.

3. In a chemical liquid lifting apparatus, the combination, with a reservoir supplied with such liquid by its own gravity, of a plurality of telescoping pipes projecting into and out of the reservoir, and a casing inclosing the pipes and having one of them sealed to and opening through the bottom of the casing, a vent in the casing adjacent the inner face of the top of the reservoir, an air valve connected with the casing and automatically opened upon the liquid reaching the said vent, a vent in the valve per mitting escape of air therethrough into said casing while the valve is closed, said valve being automatically closed upon the evacuation of the reservoir.

4. The combination, with the air cylinder having a valve seat therein, a pendent valve working in the cylinder and having an air vent therethrough, and a valve-stem projecting from the top of the cylinder, of means for hanging the valve and adjusting the movement thereof comprising a fulcrumed lever having a weight at one end and the other end working under an adjusting nut on the said stem, and an adjusting screw for limiting the movement of the lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST LONG.

Witnesses HENRY WHIT GU'rI-mm, JOHN J. CONEDO. 

